Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1887-04-13
How Deep.

This is g. good time of the year to
consider how deeply grain should be
covered. Extensive and probably
careful experiments have been made
by Eastern experimental stations.
Cornell University, N. Y, tried it,
covering various samples of wheat
from half an inch deep to six and q
half inches, on equal quality and
preparation of soil. That which was
covered the least, Or one halfinch, was
the most vigorous plants in leaf and
roots, clearly indicating to the officers
of that institution that shallow plant
ing is the best. Other Eastern expert
ments have tended to the same con-
clusion. There are some seasons in
Iowa when such shallow covering
would be best, but it seldom happens.
Our soil is lighter and more porous
than the clay soils OF the East. Wheat
or oats sown or covered only half an
inch, in an experience, such a wind as
swept over Iowa Thursday, March
Oath, nearly all of it would be left
bare. Our porous soil dries until there
is no moisture In it, at least an inch
deep, in two days of our dry, hard
winds of March and April.
In raising oats we always succeeded
best by blowing them in, covering
three or four inches. 1t is we'll known
that oats almost invariably crowd
on the wueat harvest, and if they are
left day or two too long the straw
cripples down, dropping the heads be-
low the sickle of the reaper, thereby
losing much of the crop. By cover
ing the oats deeper the roots keep
damp longer, the straw is sitter, keeps
green longer, giving the grain more
time to mature, and the crop is heavier
and better. In this way the wheat can
be out of the way and the oats cut in
time
If our springs were uniform it would
be easy to determine the depth to
cover wheat, corn or vegetables. But
we must Judge of the best policy by
taking an average of the seasons.
April and May are frequently dry and
windy, in which case seed deposited in
the ground should have depth to save
them from the aptitude of our soil to
dry out. If the spring is wet and
showery, if the soil is well drained,
such is the nature of our soil, there is
no danger of the seed rotting, as it
does in sodden soil. So we favor q
moderate deep planting.
The readers of Eastern agricultural
papers must guard against following
the advice of such ones as are located
on far different soil from that of Iowa.
We want an agricultural station of
our own, where simple as we'll as intri-
cate questions can be carefully solved.
But it must be on an average quality
of Iowa soil A parcel of fools or dis
honest swindlers located our Agricui-
tural College on the worst specimen
and quality of soil which could be
found in Iowa, and If anything is ever
done there which will be reliable as an
experiment, a lot of average Iowa soil
will have to be purchased, on which
reliable experiments can be made.
When the soil is yet not drained and
is subject to remain wet for days after
a rain, of course every farmer must
be his own judge of the depth which is
advisable to cover wheat, oats or
corn. He should avoid as far as pos
sible the danger of the grain remain
ing in the ground for weeks as dry as
it was before planted, Or OF being
rotted by being too deep in wet soil,
below the influence of the sun and air,
to spring it into life before it's vitality
is destroyed. No iron rules will do to
follow, without regard to the location,
quality, or the vicissitudes OF the
seasons. But when everything is right
the soil drained and pulverized we
would cover wheat two, inches, corn
and oats three.